Kathmandu, 20 Sep: Nepal earned more than Rs. 5 billion from electricity exports during Bhadra, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The authority exported 565.6 million units of electricity during the month, generating a total revenue of Rs. 5.092 billion.
According to the electricity export data for Bhadra published by the Load Dispatch Centre (LDC), System Operation Department, Syuchatar, Nepal exported electricity through two channels: bilateral agreements with India and Bangladesh, and the electricity market. Under bilateral agreements, electricity was exported to the Indian states of Haryana and Bihar, as well as Bangladesh.
Under bilateral agreements, Nepal exported 421.62 million units of electricity, earning Rs. 3.642 billion in revenue. Through the electricity market, the country exported 143.99 million units, generating Rs. 1.450 billion, according to the NEA.
The NEA said electricity exports to Bangladesh are currently suspended after floods in the Bhotekoshi River damaged infrastructure at the Chilime and Trishuli hydropower plants. The authority said it has also requested the Indian side to provide the necessary approval to resume electricity exports to Bangladesh from other hydropower projects.
Improvement in Electricity Trade
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said electricity trade improved in Bhadra compared with the same month last year, describing the development as a significant achievement.
“Despite the challenging situation caused by the Bhotekoshi floods, which took around 10 percent of the country’s installed generation capacity out of the system, Nepal exported more than 565.6 million units of electricity in Bhadra and earned more than Rs. 5.092 billion,” Minister Shrestha said.
According to the minister, electricity trade improved compared with the same period last year despite the difficult circumstances. Nepal had earned Rs. 4.708 billion from electricity exports in Bhadra of the previous fiscal year.
This means export revenue increased by more than Rs. 382.7 million in Bhadra this year compared with the corresponding month last year.
Minister Shrestha attributed the achievement to the continuous system coordination by the LDC, Syuchatar, the NEA’s senior management, and the sustained efforts of engineers, technicians and employees deployed across the country.
